Court OKs NY State congressional districts

ALBANY, N.Y. -- A federal court has approved the congressional election districts lines for New York that were drawn by a magistrate to square with the 2010 Census.

In Monday's ruling, the three-judge panel noted that less than 24 hours remains until the scheduled start of the petitioning process for the June 26 congressional primaries. The judges say they delineated districts because New York legislators have failed to.

The panel approved the lines drawn March 6 by U.S. Magistrate Roanne Mann.

The state Senate's Republican majority and the Assembly's Democratic majority, which could have changed the lines, had no serious objections.

The judge's lines eliminate the Hudson Valley's current 22nd District represented by Democratic Rep. Maurice Hinchey, who is retiring. They also eliminate Republican Rep. Bob Turner's 9th District in Queens and Brooklyn.